When He Knew
by FloNightingale
Summary: When each of the Marauders figured out they loved her.
1. James

**So this started out as a cutesy idea when I was watching FIFA this summer and had the thought that maybe Lily played soccer. Of course, this led into a story where someone professed their love for the aggressive striker Lily. Now, I'm not sure how this turned out...All I know is that this story kept me from studying this week. And from working on "Cured." Blame the Muse. -Flo**

**Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters come from JK Rowling. I own nothing you recognize.**

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November 20, 1972  
14:43

It was an unusually warm November. The majority of the Hogwarts student populace was outside on the hills enjoying the sunshine and the mild weather. Four suspicious second-years were taking advantage of the silent, clear halls to prepare something nefarious. The shortest of the young boys nervously hopped from one foot to the other, whipping his head around to keep his eyes on all entrances to the dungeon corridor. Excitement over being named the sole lookout for this particular prank gave poor Peter Pettigrew more jitters than he had initially expected. So much so that he missed the low voices of an approaching duo.

He did, however, notice the expensive click-clack of boots once the tall seventh-year Slytherins rounded a corner.

"Sirius!" he hissed urgently, and when he got no response from his cool young friend, he called for James and Remus.

"What is it, Pete?" James Potter paused in tying the final knot of his part, pushing his broken and Spell-O-taped glasses back up his nose. He heard the footsteps too, but he also heard the distinctive timbre of the second voice. "Bloody hell, Sirius, Remus! It's Malfoy!"

The Slytherin prefect was notorious for his vicious punishments of Gryffindors caught in the corridors surrounding the dungeons, and seemed to hold a personal vendetta towards Sirius Black. This vendetta was possibly related to his close acquaintance, Bellatrix Black. The fierce rivalry between cousins was becoming legendary at Hogwarts. Andromeda kept herself out of the squabbles, but her older and younger sisters seemed to thrive on the violence of their fights with Sirius.

"Well, well, what have we found here?" Lucius crossed his arms over his chest. He looked particularly gleeful as he took in whom he had found lurking in the dungeons. Of course, all evidence of the prank had disappeared before a strand of white-blond hair had passed the corner of the corridor. "Four Gryffindors far, far out of their territory."

"It's a Saturday afternoon. There is no curfew for another seven hours," Remus Lupin stated calmly. He knew there was no use in arguing, especially with this prefect, but he was willing to hope for a reasonable outcome from this encounter.

Antonin Dolohov grinned in response, his yellow-tinted teeth evident even in the torch lighting of the deep dungeons. Remus looked quickly at the dark-haired Gryffindor beside him, now praying for a reasonable outcome. He saw that opportunity slipping through the narrowed eyes and curled lip of his hothead friend.

"There may be no curfew for the grounds," Dolohov hissed. "But it was made very clear to you that the dungeons are off limits to little Gryffindors after seven at night on Friday and before seven on Monday."

"You mean we're not allowed except during class hours?"

Peter gulped audibly when the black eyes focused on him, the yellowish grin never fading from Dolohov's face. He was obviously regretting having spoken, but he was a Gryffindor for a reason. He would not apologize or look away.

"That is completely ridiculous," a familiar voice spoke from the other side of the hallway. Apparently Lily Evans was even better at silently stalking the halls than the two most notorious Slytherin seventh years. She was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, a snotty look on her face. "You can't forbid anyone from being in this part of the Castle without a Professor's authority."

"Keep out of it, Evans," Sirius rolled his eyes. He disliked the bloody know-it-all almost as much as he hated Dolohov. His loathing for Lucius, however, was on a whole other level.

"I don't recall asking you for your opinion on the matter, Black," she snapped right back at him.

"Oh, how lovely," Antonin laughed. "Little Gryffs squabbling amongst themselves."

"Perhaps Sirius is not as much of a lost cause as Bella would like to believe," Lucius smirked as he slowly slid his eyes over the tall, skinny redhead facing off with him from a safe distance down the hall. "I certainly have more than enough authority to give you a detention, Mudblood Evans, simply for your tone."

"Oh, go ahead, Malfoy." She stomped forward, her auburn ponytail bouncing behind her with the force of her steps. Standing right in front of the blond, she was just as defiant as before, her thin arms crossed once more. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for your disgusting attitude," Lucius spoke in a slightly less bored tone, unnerved by how close the young girl stood to him. "Get back to your tower, all of you, before I take more points."

Peter, Remus and James looked ready to go back outside and forget about the encounter, with a bit of reluctance on Remus's part to leave Lily. She clearly had no intention of moving from where she stood until Antonin and Lucius stepped back. And, of course, Sirius took Lily's courage as a challenge. He would not leave until she did.

"Come on, Lily," Remus spoke hesitantly after a moment of silence on all their parts. He noticed the girl's eyes did not break from Lucius's intimidating stare, even at the sound of her name.

"No!" she insisted. "I am allowed wherever Professor Dumbledore has not said is off-limits."

"Listen to your Housemates, little girl," Dolohov warned, taking in Lucius's increasingly tense shoulders. "Get the bloody hell out of here."

"No."

No one expected what happened next, especially Lucius. He leaned his torso forward—almost in a romantic manner—in an obvious attempt to unnerve Lily as she was frustrating him. Her arm came up in a lightning-fast hook, and the resounding thud made everyone freeze where they were.

Lucius dropped on his backside with the force of her blow, his nose already spouting blood like a hose. Lily clenched her fist, jutting her jaw stubbornly when Dolohov's face snapped to look at her in shock.

Sirius grabbed her shoulders a second later and began to drag her back the way she came, abandoning all hopes of completing their prank. He had forgotten all about it as soon as that punch whipped across Lucius Malfoy's face. He did not even wait or listen for his friends' footsteps behind him. He knew within minutes the shock would wear off of the seventh year Prefect, and all hell would break loose.

Lily seemed to sense the urgency and did not protest his lead grip on her arm. The five of them ran until they reached neutral territory, outside by the lake where hundreds of students basked in the sun. Gasping for breath, the five second-years stood for a few seconds before anyone spoke.

"What the bloody fuck?" Sirius finally panted.

Lily ignored the incredulous looks on the four boys' faces when she shrugged and said simply, "I don't like having my personal space invaded."

"But—" Peter started.

"Oh come on, Peter," she rolled her eyes and began to readjust her clothing. "He was being a total prig."

"You hit a Prefect," Remus stated, still in a state of shock. When she merely raised her eyebrows at him and nodded, he shook his head.

"You're stark raving mad," Sirius laughed. He really could not stand her for the most part, but damn some of the things that came out of that girl were amusing!

"Well, I was going to go ask Professor Slughorn for some extra Potions practice, but now that plan has obviously been ruined," Lily finished brushing off her brown cords. "I guess I'll find Sev to go over last weeks Charms."

James, who had said nothing at that point, gazed solemnly after her as she walked away towards a lone boy near the Forbidden Forest.

"I am going to marry that girl."


	2. Remus

September 4, 1971

19:48

Only four lamps glowed in the darkness of the library. Arthur Weasley leaned forward to blow out the candle on his desk and walked by a large table with two first years seated on opposite ends. His blue eyes lit with a smile at Lily Evans—the newest skinny redhead in Gryffindor—and she grinned in return.

As soon as the Head Boy had closed the double doors behind him, Lily lowered her eyes back to the scroll in front of her. She still had half a foot of parchment left for her analysis of the uses of skullcap in the Endless Sleep potion, and she had every intention of using all of that space. She had a clear outline of the points she hadn't covered yet.

For the third time in ten minutes, a crinkling noise came from across the table. Lily scowled. If she had to listen to that crinkling one more time, she was going to lose it.

Of course, the sound happened again about two or three minutes later. Being the straightforward person she was, the redhead burst out with, "What is that noise?"

Wide golden-brown eyes peered at her from between the two candles at the center of the table. She immediately felt bad for her outburst. Her friends at home always made fun of her for her sometimes abrasive personality, and apparently it had claimed another victim. This one was unfortunately someone from her own House, as evidenced by his gold and red tie.

"Chocolate frog?" the boy offered her the open package, voice rough as if he didn't use it all that often.

As she reached out to take one, a large brown shape exploded from the silver wrapper. Lily shrieked in surprise, hands flying up over her head. She blinked a few times, hearing a soft snickering sound next. The boy's eyes were creased in the corners, and he was covering his mouth with one hand. A wide grin split Lily's face as she grabbed the frozen chocolate amphibian off the side of her chair and took a big bite out of it.

"Thanks," she said.

When he simply nodded and glanced back down at his pile of books, Lily bit her lip.

"I'm Lily."

His eyes rose back up to meet hers again.

"I noticed you're from Gryffindor too," she gestured towards his tie. "I don't know a lot of people from our House and I guess…"

"Remus," he filled the silence that followed after she trailed off. "I know who you are. We're in the same year."

"We are?" her eyebrows creased as she thought back to the first two days of classes they'd had. She couldn't remember seeing him in any of them.

"I don't speak up much in class," he explained. "And I sit in the back."

"Oh." She paused for a moment, feeling the silence stretch between them awkwardly. "What are you working on?"

"Just researching a topic for Professor Binns' essay."

"You're already working on that?" she made a face, and he laughed that soft, hoarse laugh again. "I can't sit through that class without daydreaming. I much prefer Charms."

"Me too." They shared a grin. "I just want to finish it early so that I don't have to think about it the week it's due."

"Oh, good idea."

The conversation died off for a little while as they got back to what they were doing. However, every so often one would make a comment or ask a question and a short banter would follow. By the time Madame Pince was hovering over Xenophilius Lovegood, making it clear the Library would be closing soon, the two first years were gathering their books and parchments.

"Want to walk back together?" Lily asked, already following the thin brunette towards the door. He nodded, and opened one of the doors for her.

"So, you're a Muggle-born, right?" Remus dove into the first topic that popped up in his mind.

"Yes I am," the red-haired girl nodded proudly, her long ponytail slipping from one of her shoulders. "Are you?"

"No," he hoisted his shoulder bag up more securely. "My parents are both, you know. What was it like coming here after you grew up with Muggles?"

"Major culture shock." Lily didn't seem to be uncomfortable discussing her 'tainted' background. "Amelia Bones still makes fun of me for screaming when I saw the moving portraits. And everything seems so much easier! I can just wave my wand and my room cleans itself up!"

"When the spell works," Remus grinned as she shrugged.

"Well, if it doesn't then no harm done. The room was dirty to begin with."

"I tried using the _Scourgify_ spell once when I was six. I have no idea how I managed to set all of my socks on fire, but the clothes that survived smelled like charcoal for months." Remus watched as the other eleven-year-old laughed so hard she was almost doubled-over.

"I never thought about that," she took his arm to keep her balance, not noticing the shocked look on his face or the slight tensing of his muscles at the skin contact. "Wait a second, I don't think this is the right staircase."

"What do you mean?" Remus looked around them. He thought he recognized the painting of the maypole on the right side of the staircase.

"This is for the Astronomy wing. Look, that window looks out on the Quidditch pitch. We're on the wrong side of the—whoa!" They both fell as the staircase shifted underneath them. Lily was holding Remus's arm like a vice as they slowly stood. "I heard they moved, but I've never seen it happen."

"Don't worry, it should stop soon," he patted her hand absent-mindedly, still trying to remember how to get back to Gryffindor tower from wherever they were. As soon as the words left his lips, the stairs shuddered to a halt, facing away from the window.

"Should we go back?" Lily looked around.

"I think I know how to get back from this side of the castle." Remus led her up the stairs and through the corridor at the top.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, winding through darkened hallways. Lily was starting to get worried, when she saw the familiar stairs that led right up to the Fat Lady's portrait. She smiled, relieved.

"You are a genius," she said happily.

"I always knew," he responded, his haughty tone contradicted by his grin.

"My, my, Miss Evans, Mister Lupin. You two are out rather late. What about curfew?" the Fat Lady hummed good-naturedly. She got sheepish shrugs from the first years, and smiled. "Password, dears?"

"_Flibbety Gibbet._" Remus answered, standing back to let Lily enter before him. He sighed deeply, ready for a good night of sleep before the next day of classes. They had double History with Ravenclaw first thing after breakfast.

"Hey Remus," Lily's voice stopped him at the foot of the boys' staircase. "I like you."

"Wha?" he wasn't sure he heard her right.

"Let's be friends," she held out a hand to shake on it. Remus hesitated, then took her proffered hand and gave it one definitive shake. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow. We should sit together for History! Maybe you can help me pay attention."

Remus watched as she hopped up the girls' staircase, her auburn ponytail flouncing behind her.

"I like you too, Lily." He spoke into the empty common room.


	3. Sirius

April 20, 1973

11:47

Sunlight peeked through the leaves above four familiar third-year Gryffindors. It was one of the warmest days since the last snow melted, and while the fifth years and seventh years stressed in the library about OWLS and NEWTS, the underclassmen milled about the grounds between classes. Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin were reviewing a graded assignment while their friends absent-mindedly shot sparks at each other.

"Hey, Potter!" Luis Delgado hollered over the loud laughter from a group of sixth year girls by the lakefront. "Black! Want to join a pick up game?"

Sirius Black shrugged and stood to join the gathering of second, third, and fourth year students with Luis. James Potter seemed a little less enthusiastic. He hadn't brought his broom and he didn't want to play in front of _her_ on a rickety old Hogwarts broom. The best model they had was the Solar 250, which did not display his skills adequately. Sirius seemed to realize his best mate's hesitation; he paused halfway across the distance to gesture to James.

"What is this?" The tall thirteen-year-old Pureblood looked on in confusion at the black and white ball lying in the middle of the group.

"Football," Hestia Watergate answered him, smiling flirtatiously. She didn't seem to mind the year age difference that separated them. "Haven't you played football before?"

"No."

"Seriously?" Luis looked surprised. "Well, you can join one of the teams if you want to learn. We're just trying to get an even number. Watergate, you playing too?"

She shook her head quickly, straight dark hair whipping back and forth dramatically.

"Absolutely not! Just me with all you boys?" this brought a wave of laughter through the congregation of guys. The fourth-year Ravenclaw was notoriously a rabid football fan, but never actually took part in any of their games. "I'd rather watch the two newbies try to make sense of it."

"Then we're still one short," Luis scanned the various crowds all around the green. He spotted a familiar red ponytail and grinned. "Evans! Get your arse over here! We need a striker!"

Sirius rolled his eyes as he saw the trademark auburn tail bobbing towards them from across the lawn. The tall redhead was wearing a yellow tee shirt, black exercise shorts and a beaming smile. She was immediately grabbed in a half-hug by Hestia. The two most avid Man U fans at Hogwarts had spent many a day discussing their favorite players and had even gone to a game together the previous season.

As the newest players, James and Sirius were not quite insulted for being picked last. Of course, James was slightly less than pleased at being placed on an opposing team to Lily. While the captains were picking teams, Hestia went through a quick rundown of the rules. It seemed mostly straightforward, like all other games with a ball and two goals.

"This is boring," Sirius muttered to James as they stood to one side of the assembly. "We should just go back to Pete and Remus. Maybe we can work on the…you know."

"We can work on the map any time," James whispered back. He eyed the forming teams with a curious eye. "This could be fun. We haven't had a Quidditch game in awhile and this is better than nothing."

"Fine."

They obediently followed Hestia's yelled instructions on where to stand for their appointed positions, and waited for someone to start the game. Everyone on James's side did a quick charm to turn their shirts red, and on Sirius's side it was blue. The second Hestia tossed the ball down between Lily and David Easton, they were shocked. Everyone was moving; no one stayed in the formations Hestia had described. David was weaving through players in blue trying to kick his legs out from under him. He went flying as Trevor Milton came out of nowhere to slide the ball away from between his feet.

Trevor and Luis passed the ball back and forth as they brought the mass of players back towards where James stood rather motionless.

"Potter! Move!" Hestia's voice came from the sidelines, and James stuck out his leg in an attempt to catch the ball as they ran by. His sad endeavor was immediately shown up as Lily darted out of the pack to catch Luis's pass against her chest and kick the ball in a fantastic arc right around Ben's hands into the makeshift goal. She screamed happily, lifting her tee shirt up over her head and slamming her sports-bra covered chest into Luis's.

Sirius and James picked it up after the first few goals, and found themselves getting caught up in the high-energy sport. Sirius made several impressive saves, earning a black eye from Garrison's flailing arm once and a bruised shin from James's deflecting kick. Lily was completely vicious. She spent much of the time slamming her way around the guys. And although she was shorter and skinnier than any of them, when she crashed her body weight into the other players, they went down hard.

By the end of the game, Sirius was helping lift Lily up onto the team's shoulders after her final head-butted goal. After the celebration died down a little, both teams shook hands and split to rejoin their friends.

Lily and Luis paused for a few moments to have a quiet conversation with Hestia. James looked back to see red hair glinting in the sun as Lily threw her head back and laughed happily. He sighed audibly, and Sirius turned his attention from teasing Peter to his best friend. Noticing the hazel eyes locked on the skinny red-haired know-it-all, he grinned.

"She's not so bad, Prongs." He admitted, pausing to watch her easily catch the football Luis tossed her way. She bounced it off her knee a few times, then kicked it straight up and head butted it in a rather random direction. The ball exploded onto the back of David's head across the green by the lake. Sirius laughed uproariously, and amended his previous statement. "Never mind. I think I'm in love."

"Don't take the mickey," James warned his best mate, plopping down beside Remus where he sat.

"I'm not." Sirius flashed a patented smile at Hestia when she noticed his attention. "I still think she's a know-it-all. But, she's not too bad. For a girl."


	4. Peter

December 11, 1978

12:47

"Hoorah!" the third cheer practically reached the bright sky above them on the sunny December afternoon. Sixty-some wedding guests howled their joy as the happy couple on the dais leaned forward to share their first kiss as husband and wife.

Sirius Black was happily tossing rice all over the audience from his vantage point as best man. Remus Lupin was beside him, attempting to explain the point of the rice was to wish good fortune on the wedded couple, not to pelt the guests. Lily and James Potter grinned at each other during their blissful embrace, holding hands and leaning in together.

Sirius abandoned his last handfuls of rice to leap onto two of his best friends. He hauled them near, ignoring that they had just been kissing rather passionately. Remus joined them in a close hug and all four rested their foreheads together. It was something many of the guests snapped pictures of: the beautiful couple and their best mates in a loving embrace. Lily had tears of joy running down her cheeks, which Remus wiped away while Sirius pounded James on the back and clenched him into another hug. Alice newly-Longbottom and Hestia Watergate were sniffling into handkerchiefs from their positions as bridesmaids. Amelia Bones, the third bridesmaid, smiled softly—a strange expression for the usually stoic young woman.

Five thick fingers clenched around an empty black box.

Peter Pettigrew stood apart from it all. He was supposed to be an honored part of the wedding party: the ring-bearer. It was the same as it ever was.

Seething fury tightened in Peter's chest as he remembered Remus and Lily entering the common room together during their first year. They were talking happily, and it was easy to see the light in the boy's gold-brown eyes. He had joined their group but seemed to have a difficulty opening up to their friendship. It was clear there was no such difficulty with _her_.

And every breakfast where he sat beside James and saw the mope-y looks out of the corner of his eye. The boy was ridiculously cool, and could have been with any girl in their year! He was the youngest Chaser to be accepted onto Gryffindor's Quidditch team in Hogwarts history. He was smart, funny, and came from one of the most influential Pureblood families of their time. But he spent all of his time trying desperately to impress _her_. The loud, obnoxious red-haired Muggle born who didn't want him.

That day that he lost his last ally in Sirius. They went away for less than two hours to play some stupid Muggle ball game. When they came back, Sirius was staring back at her just like James. Peter could remember the falling feeling in his stomach when the attractive black-haired boy turned his head back to them and said, "I think I'm in love." She had taken another one of his best friends.

It was just supposed to be the four of them. What was she doing, taking all of them away? She was smart, pretty and outgoing. She could have anyone she wanted as her friends! He could never find another group of people who liked him so much just for being him.

They gave him safety from the bullies of Slytherin and Ravenclaw. They stood up for him when other Gryffindors made fun of his difficulties in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Magical Creatures. The red-hot anger was rising from his chest through the lump in his throat. No one would ever be his friend like they were. And he could see those amazing seven years all slipping away through his fingers. It was all _her_ fault.

"I hate you, Lily Evans."

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**Poor Peter. I see the beginning of his decline here...So in honor of my posting an entire, multi-chapter work at once, please review! Lot of love, Flo**


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